HOW TO CONDUCT A TOWN HALL MEETING

One of the most effective ways to gain the attention of elected officials and their staff, outside of visiting their office, is to attend a town hall or community meeting.

Legislators arrange these meetings to hear from their constituents. To accommodate travel schedules, they generally occur when they are not in session.

Town hall meetings are a great introductory event for those new to grassroots activities. These meetings are usually advertised online or in a local newspaper. Sometimes these meetings have a scheduled topic, but the meetings can also be open forums where voters have direct contact with their elected official.

Before you attend a town hall meeting, it may be helpful to do some background research. Find out which committees your legislator serves on and what bills he or she recently introduced.

Even if you do not have the opportunity to ask a question at the town hall, be sure to make your presence known to the legislator and his or her staff. Take the time to introduce yourself as a constituent and/or the GGG Chairman. It will pay off in future meetings as you can mention attending previous local events.